During your Los Angeles Lakers' unfortunate 103-98 loss to a Memphis Grizzlies club without Ja Morant, Steven Adams or Brandon Clarke yesterday, two underperforming LA players in particular stood out: D'Angelo Russell, who has been patchy throughout the team's postseason, and Anthony Davis, who was more the victim of intense Memphis defensive coverage than failing totally on his own.
The LA center when just 4-of-14 from the floor to record 13 points, eight boards and five blocks. Davis vented about his bummer of a defeat following the bout, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
"Obviously, I can be better," Davis said. "Can't have a night like I had tonight and expect us to win."
"I like all the shots I took," Davis said. "I just missed them. A lot of shots close to the rim I normally make, go in. Flush it and get ready for [Saturday]."
The third game in a now-knotted up 1-1 best-of-seven series will head to Crypto.com Arena this weekend. The Lakers had a golden opportunity to steal a second straight road game and essentially lock up this series, but thanks to the Grizzlies' coverage on Davis and LA players' failure to pick up his slack, that was not be.
Los Angeles head coach Darvin Ham broke down how Memphis defended Davis to take him out of his normal scoring rhythm (he averaged 25.9 points a night during the regular season).
"Just forcing tough catches, denying him, forcing him off his spot and then crowding the paint and tilting behind him," Ham said.
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